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Yssa Sunderly
Biography Yssa Sunderly is the Lady of Saltcliffe. She inherited this title from her father, Yron Sunderly, in the year 277 AC. Birth & Early Childhood Yssa Sunderly was born the daughter of Lord Yron Sunderly and his first and favorite salt wife, Marya (who had been taken for her beauty and viciousness during one of Yron's coastal raids of the North), in the year 255 AC. Despite being stolen from her home, Marya took to the Ironborn way naturally and earned her place among the reaver people, many considering her more of Iron blood than her husband. Unfortunately Marya died during childbirth, leading to Yron's resentment towards Yssa early in life. She was the second of Yron's four children, and the first daughter. While extremely close to her younger sisters Jocasta and Jayne (born to Yron's second salt wife Lysa, a woman of the Reach), Yssa and her older half-brother Yrel (born to Cimbre Farwynd, Yron's rock wife) often fought -- and, because of Yssa's smaller stature in comparison to her brother, she often lost. As Yrel's bullying grew in scale, it soon became a matter of survival; one day, when Yssa was ten years old, the two were found in a back alley of the village of Saltcliffe bloodied, bruised, and beaten... but with the tiny Yssa standing victorious over Yrel's unconscious body. From then on the eldest daughter of Yron Sunderly gained a reputation for being just as fierce and vicious as her mother before her. From an early age Yssa loved ships and could frequently be found helping helping with small tasks on Saltcliffe's dockyards, gaining favor amongst the men who worked there and developing a strong bond of loyalty that would endure until her assumption of the title of Lady. Teenage Years Yssa first began her training as a sailor and reaver at the age of 10, onboard the Scavenger. It was during this time that she met Cerys Goodbrother and Harral Ironmaker, who would eventually become her first mate and navigator, respectively. Once again her enthusiasm and love for ships and sailing earned her devotion amongst the crew early, and her quick thinking on several raids saved many a man despite her young age. At the age of 13, Yssa was taken on her first reaving in the Riverlands where she experienced first-hand the true dangers of being Ironborn. The reaving went poorly and many Ironborn joined the Drowned God's halls, unable to retreat to their ships in time. Her older brother Yrel was one of the first to flee while Yssa and his mother Cimbre remained trapped on the beach. Cimbre, who who had been close with her mother Marya, gained a newfound respect for Yssa when the girl inadvertently saved saved her life by killing her first man and the two were able to return to the ships safely. Soon after, she met Carron Botley -- the son of Lord Donel Botley, Yron's close friend -- when he was assigned to the Scavenger as a ward of House Sunderly. They did not get along at first; Yssa's stubborn nature clashed with Carron's laid-back ease, and it would be quite a few months before they were able to hold a conversation that did not end with a fight, and the Scavenger's crew having to intervene. When their friendship finally developed into something substantial the effect was immediate -- and the two soon became inseparable. In the years following Yssa's tactical skill grew and, after several successful raids of her own (contrasted by her older brother Yrel's own repeated failures), finally caught her father's eye. He'd heard his daughter described as "not reckless, but ruthless," and grew intrigued with her quick progress. It wasn't long after that when he started requesting her help with increasingly daring missions, the steady accruement of gold and acclaim turning him dependent on her advice. For nearly three years, Yssa never stepped foot back on Saltcliffe as her father continued to demand more and more of his young daughter and she spent months at a time on the sea, stopping only to raid and on- or offload their spoils. When Yssa turned 14, the Scavenger and her father's ship the Iron Stallion docked at Sunspear. Entranced by the people and the culture, Yssa fell in love with a young silkweaver's apprentice the same age as her named Kirra Sand. For nearly a moon the two entertained the idea of hiding Yssa in Dorne so they could run away together, but Yron had other plans. Unwilling to let go of his "good luck charm," he tracked down the young lovers' hideout and murdered Kirra while forcing his daughter to watch, hoping that the act would remain branded in her mind as a warning against any later defiance. Afterwards, Yssa approached Carron with an idea for revenge on those involved with Kirra's murder and the next morning, the crew of the Iron Stallion was three members short with no one admitting as witness. Durran's Defiance When the Iron Fleet answered King Maelys' call and marched on Hag's Mire in 270 AC, Yron placed Yssa in charge of ferrying their spoils and transporting hundreds of Ironborn to aid the war effort. The Ironborn returned soon after the fall of Harrenhal, however, led by Aeron Greyjoy in the wake of their crushing defeat. Most of the Iron Fleet was turned over to the Lannisters, leaving the Ironborn without many of their ships -- ships that Yssa considered her own, as she had helped oversee their making. This became the first sign of tension between Yssa and Yron, as she blamed her father's cowardice for the loss of the Sunderly fleet. Only one good thing had come of this: in the short but bloody war, Yrel Sunderly had fallen. Although Yron refused to grant her the title of heir, Yssa nonetheless swore to oversee the building of new Sunderly ships, and return their Ironborn name to its rightful glory. Early Adulthood & Assumption as Lady Over the next few years Yssa led the reconstruction of the House Sunderly and their fleet -- with the first of the new warships, the Drowned Havoc (of which Yssa assumed command), being built in 272 AC -- all the while battling against her father's excessive spending and poorly planned raids, which quickly turned the Isle of Saltcliffe poor in the wake of the Defiance. Many Sunderly subjects died during this time despite her best efforts, and to this day she is still haunted by the memories of poverty that Yron seemed so blind to. Still, however, this was not enough for her to take action against her father. It would not be until Yssa learned of Yron's drunken rape of her younger sister Jocasta in 277 AC that she finally overthrew her father as Lord. Curious of his daughter's exploits as the Commander of his fleet, Lord Sunderly accompanied Yssa at her behest on a raid. On the journey there, Yssa's loyal crew rounded up Yron and his men and -- following a public trial onboard Yron's ship the Iron Stallion -- threw them in the ocean to be drowned. Yssa then ordered the Iron Stallion to be sunk and the Drowned Havoc returned home alone, claiming to have lost Lord Sunderly and his ship at sea. Shortly after, Yssa was named Lady of Saltcliffe. It wasn't long before Yssa became swamped with problems left behind by her father, anything ranging from stupid promises to other Houses to simply the poorly kept accounts of Saltcliffe's now-empty coffers. She became buried in her work, putting her House in order and drawing away from the rest of the world. This forced solitude only grew worse when, in 278 AC, Carron (who had since become her lover and the quartermaster of the Drowned Havoc) departed Saltcliffe on his own ship, the Iron Sparrow. Unbeknownst to Yssa this was spurred on by his father, who suspected Yssa of killing the late Yron Sunderly and forced Carron to choose between the eradication of House Sunderly or exile from the Iron Isles. Heartbroken by his leaving, Yssa devoted herself completely to the restoration of Saltcliffe until King Daemon III Blackfyre's nameday and coronation in 280 AC. Recent Events The Greenlander's Game Upon her arrival at King's Landing for the Coronation feast and tourney, Yssa met Edwyn Stark, a scion of House Stark and nephew to Lord Harlon Stark. The two felt an immediate connection and continued to seek each other's company throughout their stay at King's Landing. Edwyn visited Yssa frequently, especially after a near-fatal accident during the tourney's Boat Race, and rumors began to circulate of their unprecedented relationship. Having heard confused whispers of a plot concocted by Lord Syrus Bolton to overthrow White Harbor, Yssa immediately sought to inform Edwyn -- which led to a convoluted string of events ending with the Lady Sunderly speaking to Lord Daemon Darklyn, Master of Whispers. Darklyn He offered political assistance in exchange for Yssa's help in exterminating the Pirate King Maron Martell of the Stepstones; eager to prove herself to the Starks and seeking protection against the Lord Bolton, Yssa agreed. Lord Reaper Aeron Greyjoy, having heard of Darklyn's proposal, called called the Ironborn banners to sail against Maron Martell. By this time Yssa and Edwyn had grown surprisingly close, and she vowed to return to him after successfully slaying the Pirate King. The Eastern Bastion During Yssa's time in King's Landing she'd become well-acquainted with Lord Arthur "Art" Estermont, who'd proposed to her a plan to reave the Summer Isles and replace the Child Queen Xhala Raaso with his companion (the exiled Summer Islander Prince Xhobar Zaqhu of Tall Trees Town), and arranged to meet with him at the island of Greenstone with the rest of the Iron Fleet to rest and gather supplies before departing for the Stepstones. Art welcomed his friend to his keep with gracious amicability; over the next few days he expressed interest in helping the Ironborn with the reaving of the Pirate King and shared notions with Yssa of all island people perhaps one day being a part of a larger Iron Nation. Even more shocking, the Storm Lord bent the knee and swore fealty to Aeron Greyjoy the very night of his arrival. It was during this time that Yssa was informed that, back at Saltcliffe, her youngest sister Jayne had been drowned twice and taken to Old Wyk by the elderly Drowned Lord Galon of House Drumm as his wife. Furious at such a blatant insult to her responsibility as Lady and concerned for her 13-year-old sister, Yssa demanded retribution from Aeron Greyjoy. Aeron sent his nuncle (and Yssa sent Cimbre Farwynd, who had assumed the title of Steward of Saltcliffe) to retrieve the Lady Jayne Drumm and return her to Saltcliffe. When Jayne finally agreed to go, Lord Drumm immediately sailed to Greenstone to bring his grievances before the Lord Reaper. Having continued correspondence with Edwyn while awaiting the rest of the Iron Fleet, Yssa was surprised at his arrival at Greenstone soon following her own. Edwyn offered his help in slaying the Pirate King, and after some terse reassurances of the Stark's loyalty to the Lord Reaper and the rest of the Iron Lords, the two continued to pursue the relationship begun in King's Landing. Ghosts of the Past Not long after Edwyn's arrival, the Iron Lords were joined by none other than Carron Botley, who had returned from his exile in Essos after two long years on Yssa's behest. Though she had not seen him since he left Saltcliffe Yssa had not stopped writing to him, always keeping informed of his location... and the destination of her next letter. The two reconnected with mixed results; Yssa was upset at him for leaving Saltcliffe when she needed him the most, and Carron was upset at her for her relationship with Edwyn. Still, they worked as well as they always did together -- and when Aeron called for an Iron Council on Greenstone to tell the assembled Iron Lords and Captains that instead of Reaving the Stepstones they would be sailing to make peace with the Pirate King, they (along with Yssa's childhood friend Lady Rona Farwynd of Lonely Light) contested the plan. Aeron insisted that the Crown (through Darklyn) should not be able to order them around like lapdogs and that combined with Martell's fleet the Ironborn would be able to show the Greenlanders just how mighty they were. Yssa and her cohorts expressed concern with this for a number of reasons: 1. it would be highly suspect for the entire strength of the Iron Fleet to turn to the Stepstones and not instigate a war, and 2. a revenge plot against the mainland would only perpetuate the cycle of destruction between the Ironborn and the rest of the continent. Later, Yssa would echo that same sentiment in a private counsel with Aeron, stating that the Ironborn needed to prove themselves useful in order to gain respect, instead of reaving for revenge to garner fear. Her words were dismissed, and Aeron took a small contingent of Ironborn to meet with the Pirate King instead. In the Eye of the Storm The rest of the Iron Fleet arrived within the moon, bringing with them Jocasta -- the middle Sunderly sister and Yssa's temporary Commander of House Sunderly's Fleet. Jo had always looked up to both Yssa and Carron since she was a child, regarding Carron as an older brother more than a friend, and she was extremely discontent to hear of her sister's relationship with Edwyn. Following a rather violent argument, Jo begrudgingly agreed to accept the Greenlander for the time being. Having had a long month to think about her and Estermont's plan while on Greenstone, Yssa pitched an idea to Carron and Jocasta: a New Way of living for the Ironborn based on a marriage of the Gold Price and the Iron Price, where their people could reave and conquer and then cultivate a life... starting with the Summer Isles. She then asked Carron to take up the mantle as Commander of her The Shield Maiden of Summer A Song of Iron & Ice Drowned and Devoured Historical Timeline * 255 AC - Yssa Sunderly is born of Lord Yron Sunderly and his salt wife, Marya. * 267 AC - Yssa begins to conduct multiple successful raids along the Greenlander coast, much to her older brother Yrel's dismay. She is sent on back-to-back missions for 3 years by her father, spending most of her time on the water sailing from location to location. * 270 AC - The Iron Fleet is called by King Maelys. Yssa is placed in charge of personnel and supply transportation and logistics during the war. During the war, Yrel dies. The Ironborn return to the Iron Islands in defeat, many of their ships taken from them and given to the Lannisters. * 271 AC - Yssa begins to rebuild House Sunderly's fleet and reputation. * 272 AC - The first warship of the new Sunderly fleet, the Drowned Havoc, is built and command is assumed by Yssa. * 277 AC - Lord Yron accompanies Yssa and her ship on a raid and does not return. His loss is attributed to a terrible storm. Yssa is named Lady Sunderly of Saltcliffe. * 278 AC - Carron Botley departs from Saltcliffe due to his father's ultimatum, leaving Yssa behind to handle her new Ladyship on her own. * 9th Moon, 280 AC - Yssa arrives at King's Landing for King Daemon III Blackfyre's coronation. Quotes Quotes By Yssa "What pretty girl would want to marry an ugly fucker like you? No one likes a scruffy hammer-swinging jackass for a husband." - Yssa Sunderly "This is to be a Reaving, Edwyn, not a battle. No honor. No mercy. Not for anyone. And you want to see me in the middle of that?" - Yssa Sunderly “Can’t stay here forever, but you can stay awhile and pretend. You can dream, and have things the world won’t let you have. At least until you wake up again.” - Yssa Sunderly “Fine, ''dearheart. Remind me to take your tender fucking sensibilities into account next time we spar. I’ll make sure to kiss all the broken bones you get better.”'' - Yssa Sunderly "There needs to be something stable, something guaranteed in life other than a short, raid-filled bloodlust haze. We do not sow because we cannot, not here in the salted land our ancestors found for us, but... what if we could? If our people were given another choice, would they be as proud of the decision they'd make? We've thrown ourselves at this wall over and over and over again, each time expecting a different result. How much more do we have to sacrifice just to live for more than survival? When will what we've given be too much? Don't we deserve better than that?" - Yssa Sunderly Quotes About Yssa "I would have thought you the type of girl to sleep on her ship." - Veron Greyjoy "I'm glad to be here, Yssa. Seeing you again? Worth an army of Pirate Kings. Alas, there is only one, but he'll have to do." - Edwyn Stark "You've been quite the socialite recently. You got the sickly Lord Drumm to sail halfway across the damn continent just to see you. You've got the Master of Laws approaching you for secret missions to kill Rogue Kings... You enjoying it? The fantasy land your life has become? Not sure if you wanted it or not but... here we are. And somehow... somehow, this keeps coming to be bigger than it needs to be." - Aeron Greyjoy “You don’t have to order me, you know that. I may not have your hand, but you have my loyalty, all of me.” - Carron Botley "Damn you Yssa Sunderly. Damn you for not letting me wallow away in my self-pity and pulling me up and slapping some sense into me." - Arthur Osgrey Category:Ironborn Category:Westerosi